If you’re talking about Japanese cuisine, Mino would have to be my favourite restaurant. Located in Sydney’s north shore, Mino serves traditional Japanese food that is value for money, delicious and beautifully presented. The staff are warm and friendly from the moment you walk in, offering the highest degree of service. The wooden decor around the restaurant, sake wine bottles on display, and personalised ceramic plates and bowls creates a very domesticated atmosphere.

J and I have been here countless times, visiting at least once every 2 months. The restaurant is generally very busy during the weekend, not so much the weekday. As we came for lunch on a Thursday afternoon, we pleasantly had the whole place to ourselves for the first half hour.

Lemon Lime Bitters ($3.50)

Aburi Nigiri – Seared salmon & king fish ($14)

Smooth and finely sliced salmon and king fish on nigiri drizzled with mayonnaise and what tasted like tonkatsu sauce, sprinkled with hand cut shallots. The searing created a soft caramelised crust on the surface, yet it was still smooth and juicy.

Salad

As per the lunch menu, the mains and sushi & sashimi sets come with salad, rice, miso soup and agedashi tofu.

Agedashi tofu

J is a huge fan of agedashi tofu (or tofu in general). After trying out the agedashi tofu at multiple Japanese restaurants, he has concluded that Mino serves the best one. I guess I’ll have to agree with him on that note. The tofu is silky smooth, coated with potato starch or corn starch that stretches as you cut through the tofu with your spoon. And the dashi sauce is very flavourful.

Chicken Karaage ($12)

Craving satisfied. The karaage chicken has a very golden, crispy and juicy texture, flavoured with garlic and soy sauce. And when dipped in the mayonnaise, it’s the best thing ever! Soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside – just the way I like it.

Chicken Namban ($12)

Fried chicken marinated in sweet-savoury vinegar served with Japanese style tartare sauce. The chicken is soft and the skin is moist from the marinated vinegar. Perfect when eaten with the tartare sauce!